


Dancing Cop Night

by Milligramme



Category: Persona 4, persona 4 dancing all night
Genre: Bonding Through Dance, Crossdressing, Family Fluff, M/M, dance, nonconsensual crossdressing but not in the way you expect it, that's it that's the whole plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 23:45:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14092353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milligramme/pseuds/Milligramme
Summary: There is a reason why Dojima doesn't dance in Dancing All Night: if he did, everyone else would have looked bad next to him.After all, Nanako must have gotten her dancing skills from someone, right?Various OS about Dojima dancing.





	1. Last Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Atlus won't let Dojima dance, then I will!  
> As always, thanks to my betas Akaicchi and Rawen!
> 
> In this story, set right after the events of P4D, the dance instructor flirts heavily with Dojima and taunts him about his dancing skills

Ryou was waiting in the dancing room, wondering what took Nanako and Mashita so long. His daughter had asked him to come and see her, and since he had nothing better to do now that everyone was safely back from wherever they had been for the past few days, he had agreed to it. It would probably be his last chance to see her dance with her new friend, after all.

Still, he’d been waiting for a while now, and there was still no sign of the girls.

_Could something have happened?_

“Oh, Nanako’s father, what a surprise!” a voice behind him exclaimed.

He turned around to find the dancing coach, whose name he didn’t quite catch. The man never actually said it, now that he thought about it…

“Hi. Is Nanako around? She asked me to wait here, but…” Ryou said with an embarrassed look.

“She won’t be here for a while, big man. Kanami and she went out for lunch, since Minoru offered.”

“Oh… They didn’t tell me.”

“I said I’d stay behind to tell you,” the coach explained.

He had a smirk when he said that, and as he chuckled, the detective noticed that he was looking at him with eyes that could only be described as … hungry. Only then did it hit him that the other clearly had ulterior motives. What they were exactly however, he didn’t know.

_The general idea was pretty clear though…_

“So, since it’s just the two of us, shall we go out and have our own lunch?” the man offered.

“I’ve already eaten,” Ryou replied immediately.

It happened to be true, but he would have said that even if it wasn’t. He really didn’t like where this conversation was going.

_Should he turn the guy down now or wait a little? He wasn’t sure yet._

“Well, that’s too bad… I’ll just have to keep you company until they return,” the coach shrugged without losing his mischievous smile.

Ryou sighed. Apparently, there was no way out of it…

“By the way, I’ve always wanted to ask: where did Nanako learn how to dance like this?”

_Finally a topic he was comfortable with!_

“I don’t know. It’s not like she danced a lot at home; but she’s always picked up these things easily.”

“So could it be something she got from her parents? Her mother maybe?”

The detective chuckled.

“Oh no, she certainly didn’t get that from her mother.”

_Chisato was a horrible dancer. She did just fine when she was dancing with him, but as soon as he let go of her, she’d turn back into a mess. Her thing was playing music more than dancing on it._

“So what? Are you telling me that she got it from you? Hm?”

“Who knows?” Ryou replied evasively.

“I’m sure you’d be a horrible dancer,” the other declared. “Don’t get me wrong, I would _love_ to see it. But I know your type. I’ve seen more than my fair share, trust me. Guys like you are way too stiff, you just have no grace.”

The detective huffed.

“We don’t, huh? So why don’t you show me some moves then?”

This wasn’t how the conversation was supposed to go, he realized. But at the same time, it could be fun. He hadn’t danced in a while, to be honest, but he was still up for the challenge.

_There had been that one time in Okina, though…_

The Coach chuckled. Dojima had played right into his hands.

“You know I don’t usually do this for free, right?” he smiled as he walked closer.

“Fine then, that was just an idea,” the newest Man of his Dreams shrugged.

_So he was playing hard to get, huh…_

“Well, I could make an exception for you. I have a point to make, after all.”

He walked toward the music system, asking the other what kind of music he wanted.

“You’re the teacher,” Dojima replied.

“I’ll go for disco. I guess it was pretty fly in your youth, right?”

“It sure was,” he replied with a smile that the Coach couldn’t quite pinpoint whether it was amused or nostalgic.

_No matter what it was, it was the smile of an angel—although a worn out one—and he wasn’t sure if his heart could handle it._

“Okay Daddy, follow my lead!” he roared as the music started and he showed him the first moves.

Now to be perfectly honest, he had expected the guy to be good. That was why he wanted to see him dance so badly, after all. However, there was a difference between “being good” and “following him perfectly on his first try”.

_What was it with this family and dancing?_

“You've got some moves, I’ll give you that,” he admitted.

Ryou smiled as he heard that. It was a lot more fun than he expected, and now that there was music and dance, he realized that having the man look at him like some sort of expensive cake didn’t make him so uncomfortable anymore. He followed the coach easily, amazed himself by how he understood where the man wanted him to go as soon as he initiated a move, earning nods and hums of approval every time. Then, the other started showing him trickier ones, and his ‘pupil’ was so focused on his task that he found himself wondering at which point they’d started getting closer.

_And yet, he still couldn’t bring himself to be concerned by that._

“Woo! That’s what I’m talking about!” the coach exclaimed after he mastered a particularly hard step that took him two attempts to get.

Then, the music stopped, and the first thing Ryou heard was:

“Dad?”

He turned around slowly to find Nanako watching him from the doorway, gaping. Inoue and Mashita were next to her, and even Yu was here, holding his phone in front of him as if he was…

Was he filming him?!

_That was just his luck…_

“That was amazing! I didn’t know you could dance!” his daughter cheered.

He relaxed a bit when he saw her smile.

“I don’t do that often,” he admitted, scratching his neck with an embarrassed look.

“You never danced with Mom…”

“How do you think I married her?” he smiled.

“Really? But why did you stop?”

“She wasn’t really into it.”

“I think Mom once mentioned getting together with Dad thanks to her dancing skills,” Yu declared thoughtfully.

“That’s a family thing I guess,” his uncle chuckled as he remembered how his sister was when she was younger.

“So Nanako really got this from you, huh…” the coach said as he walked closer to him.

“I guess my type has some grace after all,” Ryou smirked.

“Fine, you’ve proved me wrong. Now, what I really want to know is why you became a boring detective when you could have shined as a dancer!”

The ‘boring detective’ looked the dance instructor up and down. Everyone seemed dull next to him; that was for sure. However, he certainly wouldn’t exchange his place with the other. He was shining as a detective too, in his own way.

“I’m fine as it is,” he declared blankly.

Then, he walked toward a corner, reminding everyone that it was supposed to be a lesson with Nanako and Mashita. He hoped that it would make them forget what they just saw.

_How long had they been watching anyway?_

“Oooh, you’re not off the hook, Mister,” the coach smirked.

“I want to dance with Dad!” Nanako exclaimed joyfully.

It felt like a revelation. It had never crossed Ryou’s mind that they could do that; that it was something they could share.

_Maybe they should try it someday, before she started being embarrassed by everything he did like all teenagers…_

“You heard the lady, come on!” the coach ordered.

“What about Mashita?” he asked.

“Oh, right…” the man sighed. “We’ll do it afterward, okay Nanako-chan?” he added with a smile.

“Yeah!” she exclaimed with an enthusiastic nod.

As he watched his daughter dance with her friend, making the idol jealous with how easily she picked up the moves, Ryou couldn’t help but smile.

_She really got that from him, huh…_

Nanako was shining so bright while she danced that he couldn’t help but think that it would have been a shame not to have shown it to the world. He was perfectly happy with his life as a detective, but seeing this part of him in his daughter made him incredibly proud.

_He thought of her as a tiny Chisato more often than not, but at that moment, there was no doubt about it: Nanako was his daughter too._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you next time for Adachi luring Dojima to a club, thinking his partner will be so ridiculous it will put his crush to an end. Of course, he's wrong.


	2. Saturday Night Fever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise everyone, I'm posting fast this week!  
> Please don't get too used to it...
> 
> As promised, here is Adachi dragging Dojima to a nightclub.
> 
> Enjoy!

“Adachi, are you sure you want to go there?” Dojima asked as they were waiting in line in front of a nightclub in Okina.

“I heard it was fun! And no one will recognize us,” Tohru explained casually.

_He hoped his plan would work. It was a miracle already that the other had accepted to follow him this far, and he refused to see it fail now!_

It had all started as a casual night out with his partner. They went to a bar to celebrate the solving of a minor case like usual, but this time, after spending about ten minutes staring at Dojima chugging down his beer and fighting the constant urge to just _touch him_ , Tohru had decided that they should probably take this somewhere else.

_Somewhere fun. Somewhere with loud music and lots of young people. Somewhere Dojima would stick out so much that it would be ridiculous. Somewhere Tohru could laugh at him until his stupid crush vanished._

“I’m still not convinced that this is the best place…” his partner declared.

“It’ll be fine. We can say we’re on an undercover mission if we have to,” he dismissed again.

It had taken a lot of convincing on his part, but he’d still managed to remain vague enough to make Dojima accept his offer, and now here they were, waiting in front of a gay club Tohru found out about online. He had made the decision in the spur of the moment, but he would have lied if he said he’d never thought about it before. He just never had an opportunity like this, and even when he did, he didn’t really expect the man to accept.

_He was pretty sure he’d only earn a punch closely followed by a “Shut up, Adachi,” to be honest._

Plus, Tohru had spent the past few weeks hoping that the situation would get better on its own. That he’d stop failing to take care of his work because he was too busy staring at his partner and the way his muscles showed beneath his shirt, how the fabric made them appear and disappear in an almost hypnotizing way, how it sometimes revealed a bit more skin when the other wasn’t careful. That he’d start understanding what the man told him again instead of focusing solely on how deep his voice was, and the way his lips moved, wondering how rough or soft they would feel on his. That his thoughts would stop wandering every time the other walked closer, distracting him with his smell of coffee and cigarette poorly covered by musky cologne. That he could stop running to Junes in order to avoid him and think about something else for once.

It had taken him a while to accept it, but now, Tohru was certain that it was too late for him, and that he was too far gone for things to get better on their own. Hence, he had decided to take matters into his own hands and use some sort of shock therapy to snap out of his crush.

_It had worked well for Yamano, after all. One sentence from the bitch and he was over her already._

“So we’re in an undercover mission at a gay club?” Dojima finally asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

“Something like that?”

Maybe that was a bit too much for the other to believe him, he realized. Sure, they had been drinking before he offered to go somewhere else, and Dojima was walking a fine line between tipsy and drunk already, but still.

“If that makes you happy,” his senior shrugged, and that was the weirdest reply Tohru had ever heard.

_Since when did Dojima want to make him happy?_

As he tried to process those words, he suddenly felt a warm hand sliding in his, and he almost choked when he looked down to see that it was his partner’s.

“If we’re undercover, we might as well make it look realistic,” the man declared with a tiny smile that Tohru could only describe as ‘mischievous’.

_This too was new._

The grip wasn’t exactly firm, he noticed. Actually, it was kind of hesitant, but Tohru wasn’t really in a position to understand that at the moment because _Dojima_ was _holding his hand_ with a _smile_?! That was a bit too much information for him, and he was suddenly feeling very hot.

But it would be fine, he told himself as he kept the man’s hand in his without a word. He was certain that the other couldn’t dance to save his life; so maybe he was trying to look tough and in control now, but he would lose composure as soon as they were inside. Tohru just had to wait for a few more minutes. But before that, there was nothing wrong about him enjoying the situation a bit.

_Then he’d make fun of Dojima for sticking out so much in this place. And then his crush would be over and he’d go back to a normal life of watching the kids run in circles to catch him while he ate the leader’s food every other night._

Of course, nothing went according to his plan again, and it felt strangely ominous for his future as a mysterious serial killer.

First, Dojima only seemed shocked and confused for a few minutes after going in. He complained a lot about the music being too loud and the decoration being distasteful, but after a while, he looked like he got used to it. They ordered a drink at the bar, and his partner stared at the dancers the whole time, the same way he looked at a suspect to see if they were lying, or at a file when he was trying to crack a case. It was the same frown; the same intensity. He seemed so focused that it felt like he’d rip a hole in the crowd, and Tohru didn’t even dare disturbing him to ask what he was thinking about.

Then, Dojima finished his drink and said:

“Let’s go dancing.”

One thing Tohru had always been sure of was that there must be a rule somewhere, stating that hardboiled detectives couldn’t know how to dance. They were supposed to be as stiff as the justice they served, and they didn’t know how to have fun. That was what he’d thought until now, at least.

This universal truth shattered the moment Dojima reached the dance floor and started moving to the music. There were a few old fashioned moves here and there, a few influences from more than a decade ago, but what Tohru noticed above everything else was that his partner had actually managed to take in what the other dancers were doing and make it his own. And despite how ridiculous the result should have been, especially for someone who probably hadn’t danced in years, it was one of the hottest, most beautiful things he had ever seen.

Tohru thought for a second that it was only because he already had a crush on the man, or because the lights made everyone look like they could dance, but every time he tried to look elsewhere, his eyes were irresistibly drawn to Dojima, who now had a confident smile and shouldn’t be allowed to move his hips like that. Without surprise, a few people approached him, but the man didn’t care about any of them. His eyes were locked in Tohru’s, which made him look at least ten times sexier, and twenty years younger.

_This was supposed to put an end on his crush, not set his heart on fire! Why was this happening?!_

The _old_ detective motioned for him to join the fun, and his partner shook his head. There was no way he’d go over there. He didn’t know how to dance at all, because he _,_ for one, followed the rules.

He should have expected that the other wouldn’t take no for an answer. After all, he was a very stubborn man.

“Come on, dance with me!” ~~Ryotaro~~ Dojima said as he grabbed his hand to drag him to the dance floor.

“I can’t dance,” he protested weakly.

“I’ll show you!”

Tohru could have resisted more, but he still found himself going after his partner who, true to his word, tried to show him a few moves. He followed them tentatively at first, and then with more confidence when it started sinking in that no matter how bad and ridiculous he was, he was still the one dancing with the sexiest, most talented person in the room, and the rest didn’t matter.

_Still, should they be dancing so close?_

“Sir?” he asked with a strangled voice when they reached the point where Tohru could feel the heat radiating from the other.

“Yes, Tohru?” the man asked with a smile, making him regret that the music covered his voice.

Then, he got even closer, and Tohru’s nostrils were suddenly filled with the smell of cigarette smoke and cologne as the other put his mouth against his ear to say:

“You’re doing great.”

Thousands of different replies came to his mind, ranging from a casual “So are you” all the way to “I love you please kiss me now”.

He could do that, he realized. He could kiss that man right here, right now. It wouldn’t be out of place. No one would bat an eyelid.

However, there was still a world outside of them and outside of this club, and it wouldn’t be a good idea. Instead, Tohru just took a deep breath to make sure he’d remember Ryotaro’s smell at that moment, and closed his eyes to better focus on how it felt to have the other brush against him from time to time. His pants were getting uncomfortably tight just from that, and he stepped away as soon as he noticed.

He didn’t realize that he’d stopped dancing until he felt the other’s hands on his hips, encouraging him to move.

_This was like torture, and it needed to stop. He’d learned his lesson now, so maybe they should get out of here before something terrible happened, like him putting his arms behind Ryotaro’s neck and pulling him closer, or Ryotaro leaning in to kiss him and wait was this happening?_

Tohru closed his eyes when he finally took in that it was, indeed, happening. His partner had initiated it, so it had to be fine, right?

It was so hard to kiss while dancing, and he wondered why the other was so good at doing both. He tasted like the stupid cocktail he had drunk earlier, with cigarettes as a familiar aftertaste. His partner’s lips were rough, but the way they moved was slow and teasing, as if he was savoring a nice cup of coffee. Their bodies were extremely close—too close—and each of their moves created a friction that felt both incredibly hot and incredibly embarrassing, because there was no way Ryotaro wouldn’t notice how turned on he was. However, he could sort of feel that he wasn’t the only one, so again, maybe it was fine.

When they broke the kiss, the other had this tender look he sometimes had when he was talking about Chisato, minus the sadness. It was all sweet and loving, and Tohru couldn’t believe that it was directed at him.

_He sure wouldn’t be giving him this look if he knew who killed those two women and convinced Namatame to kidnap the others, thus disturbing the peace of his precious little town… That man was such a pathetic idiot, now that he thought about it, but it didn’t matter because all that Tohru cared about now was to get another kiss from that stupid, stupid guy._

Since he could, he put his lips on his partner’s again, and he knew that he was impatient, and hungry, and desperate, and it was nothing like the previous kiss, but that only seemed to amuse the other. He could feel the man’s deep chuckle through his whole body, from the way their chests brushed to the vibrations in his mouth.

At that moment, Tohru wished that they weren’t in a shitty nightclub. He knew none of it would have happened anywhere else, but if they were in his flat, then he could have ripped his partner’s clothes off and made sure they had sex right there and then, before the guy could think any better.

“Maybe we should leave,” Ryotaro said against his ear, and it was the best offer he’d heard all night, the implications enough to send pleasant shivers down his spine.

They walked out of that place and back to the car, and since there was no one around, Tohru really hoped that they could pick up where they left off. However, his partner seemed determined to go home, and he decided that they could probably wait for a bit longer.

Then, of course, the man fell asleep in the passenger’s seat and snored loudly for the whole trip.

The night was over, the charm was broken, and as he shook him lightly to tell him they had arrived, Tohru felt no regret letting him go.

“That was fun. We should do it again,” Dojima said casually.

His partner nodded vaguely, feeling very relieved that his uncomfortable attraction was now over. But of course, Ryotaro had to kiss him before he left, and Tohru’s heart fluttered and started pounding in his chest ten times harder than it usually did.

Apparently, his crush was back with a vengeance.

_This was bad… But they should definitely do it again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick mention: if you guys have other ideas on how I can make Dojima dance, I'm open to requests. I can't guarantee that I'll do it, but I'm ready to give it a try!


	3. Doting Father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dojima finally caught Chisato's murderer and dances with Nanako

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I was supposed to be done with this OS series, but I had a new idea that I had to write, so here you go~
> 
> I first wrote it from Dojima's point of view, but then I woke up the next morning and thought "You're such an idiot, you should have used Nanako's point of view!" I didn't know what to choose, and I decided that I was going to do whatever I wanted and just wrote both. Hence, it's going to be **the same scene, but from two different point of view**.
> 
> Enjoy!

Ryou

Chisato’s murderer had been arrested. After years of research and countless sleepless nights, Ryou had finally managed to solve the case. Given the evidence, the culprit—a woman, unexpectedly—would be behind the bars for a long time. Finally, he could be at peace.

Of course, Ryou wasn’t as naive as he used to be, before Yu came about four years ago. He knew that all of his problems wouldn’t be solved and that he wouldn’t magically have his family back. Still, knowing that this was behind him brought a sense of accomplishment he hadn’t felt in years. He had done his job as a detective. He could protect his town and the ones he loved, after all.

His colleagues had offered a drink to celebrate, and Ryou had grumbled that they couldn’t do this on a weekday. Most of them called him a killjoy, but the ones who knew him the best seemed to have understood the real reason behind his refusal: he wanted to spend that evening with Nanako.

_Solving the case wouldn’t magically bring his family back; the change had to come from him, and it started with celebrating this important victory with his daughter first._

He came home early that day, and as the now eleven year old girl got up from the small table in a hurry to greet him with a bright smile, Ryou allowed himself to remember the first time Nanako had come to greet him all by herself.

She’d just started walking back then, and she was barely talking. Still, as soon as he’d stepped in the house that day, he heard tiny footsteps trotting toward him as she yelled "Daddy!" her little voice jumping with each step. He had just enough time to turn around before she tripped, and he dived on the ground to catch her.

His entire body hurt as it slammed to the wooden floor, but Nanako’s smile made up for it. Chisato came just in time to take a picture of them, Ryou still on the ground with their daughter already back on her feet, and once his wife had stopped laughing, echoed by Nanako’s high pitched giggles, she said with a tiny smile:

"See? I knew you’d be a great father!"

_For the longest time, he thought that she was wrong; that he didn’t have any paternal instinct and that he’d never be able to take care of Nanako on his own. It had taken Yu’s stubbornness and almost losing her to make him realize that he could do this properly, if he really tried._

His daughter had grown up a lot since that day, and even though Ryou knew that she had come this far almost all by herself, he still felt like he hadn’t done such a bad job, at least in the more recent years.

"So, what are we doing to celebrate?" Nanako asked.

Ryou realized only then that he hadn’t planned that far.

"We could go out and buy some food," he offered. "What do you think?"

She nodded.

"That’s a start. Are we going now?"

"Whenever you’re ready," Ryou replied.

Nanako glanced at her homework, and announced that the rest could wait. Ryou didn’t insist. He trusted her on that, and he knew that she appreciated it.

All in all, their celebration dinner was simple yet nice. They even had cake, for once. Then, once they were done eating and the table was cleared, Ryou asked his daughter if there was something she wanted to do.

She seemed to think for a few seconds, but there was something about her that told him that she already had something in mind, but she was too nervous to say it. He waited until she asked:

"Can we dance?"

Ryou blinked a few times, surprised. He didn’t expect her to ask for this. It wasn’t like it came out of nowhere, however. They had started doing it every once in a while, after they came back from Tokyo. He’d taught her a few moves and she made him follow choreographies from idols she liked.

_He always changed the cuter steps into something that made him feel more comfortable, and she scolded him so sternly whenever he did it that he couldn’t help but keep going._

However, they hadn’t done that in such a long time that Ryou had started thinking that she was done with it.

His hesitation must have lasted a bit too long, because Nanako’s hopeful look had faded by the time he nodded and said it was a great idea. She smiled as she heard this, and it was so bright that Ryou couldn’t help but smile back.

"I have a special choreography to show you!" she explained excitedly. "I started working on it when you said you were going to solve the case, so we could have a victory dance! And I used a song you liked, too!"

She said all of this while she prepared everything, and she helped her father move the small table to clear some space for them.

"So, are you ready?" she asked once everything was done.

Ryou nodded, wondering what she would come up with. The song that she had chosen sounded familiar, but he hadn’t listened to music in a while, aside from the radio in the car and the songs Nanako played in the living room before he came home.

"Do you remember it?" she asked with a hopeful look.

It took him a few seconds to remember, and when he saw her start to dance, he realized that it was the first song they ever danced on together. He’d offered himself a few weeks after they came back from the dance festival, when the chief had forced him to go back home early for once. She’d tiptoed around the subject for a while, and he figured that she’d never dare ask him herself.

_He’d disappointed her too much in the past._

Nanako seemed pleased when he told her that he recognized it.

_He knew the fear was still here, and it was probably deserved, but he was letting her down a lot less these days._

She started showing him the steps soon after. At first, Ryou was worried that the moves she’d come up with would be too cute and childish for him, but he was still determined to follow her lead faithfully, for once. However, it turned out that he wouldn’t have to make an effort in that regard, because she’d taken his style into account, and even prepared separate steps for the two of them.

"How long have you been working on it?" he asked once he’d mastered everything and they were ready to dance the final version.

He was amazed that she’d come up with something so complex and well thought out.

"A few weeks. I asked for Coach’s help, too. He said he’d do it for free as long as we pay him a visit next time we go to Tokyo," she explained.

Ryou barely repressed a sigh. He hadn’t seen the guy ever since that fateful day when they danced together, but he could imagine his sly smile all too well...

Still, the choreography Nanako and he had come up with was great, and he felt that seeing him again would be a small price to pay for this.

_Especially since he wasn’t planning to go to Tokyo anytime soon._

When they started dancing together for real, Ryou realized that something had changed in the way his daughter moved. It didn’t feel as childish as it used to, and there was an underlying boldness that wasn’t there before. She was growing up faster than he thought, and as he mirrored her for a few steps, he remembered how Chisato always reminded him how much like him Nanako was. He thought that she was wrong; that Nanako was her mother’s carbon copy. It seemed that they were both mistaken. All in all, their daughter had taken equally from both of them, sometimes in unexpected ways.

He moved behind her and their steps diverged again. She fell in his arms, as planned, and as he propelled her back up, Ryou remembered that she’d soon be a teen, and that she was going to take even more independence from him.

_Maybe her rebellious phase wouldn’t be as bad as his, though? He wished that they could keep dancing together like this for at least a few more years._

Ryou stopped thinking about it when they reached the grand finale, focusing instead on the harder steps, and the song ended with both Nanako and him smiling, breathless and happy.

"I love you, Dad," she said, and it felt like an eternity since the last time she’d said it.

As he told her that he loved her too, he felt that it was deserved, for once.

_Chisato had been right, after all. He had it in him to be a good father, if he tried._

* * *

Nanako

Nanako’s memory worked in strange ways. To everyone’s surprise, she could sometimes remember with great detail events from when she was a toddler. Now that she was older, she suspected that some of these memories were simply made up from her mother telling her about the events over and over again, but it didn’t matter to her. She treasured each and every one of them, if only because everything that reminded her of her mom was rare and important.

As she finished her Japanese homework, wondering when her father would come back for the celebration he’d promised, she recalled one of those probably made up memories; a story her mother told her whenever she missed him and kept asking when he would be back.

As far as Nanako could remember, she’d always rushed to the door to greet her dad whenever he came home. No matter what she was doing, she’d always drop everything to run toward the entrance; be it doing her homework, playing, or even hugging her mom. Once (the first time she’d done that, according to her mother), she was in such a hurry that she tripped, and her dad dived to catch her before she hit the ground. She remembered the concern in his eyes, and the relieved smile that followed. There used to be a picture of this event (which disappeared with all the others, in her father’s erasure spree), and whenever her mom told her about it, she always concluded with those words: “So you see, even if your daddy can’t be here for you all the time, you can always count on him to catch you when you fall”.

Nanako used to believe those words, even after her mother died and he started focusing more and more on his job. She fell a few times and he wasn’t there, so she decided that these weren’t real falls and started being more careful, to avoid being disappointed. Of course, she didn’t realize any of it, back then, but it was how it felt to her now.

Then came this kidnapping that she barely remembered. Sometimes, she had vivid dreams of a heavenly place and a giant angel taking her in his arms, but she didn’t recall anything else. Her father said that dreams don’t always make sense, and given how she dreamed just the night before about a talking door pressing her to go out and save the world, except she first had to clean the house with nothing but a dated newspaper, a reluctant lizard, and three seashells, she was ready to believe him on that.

Whatever happened that time though, one thing was for sure: on that fateful night, there was no one to catch her when she fell. She knew she was rescued by her Big Bro, and that Teddie’s voice saved her when everything turned black, later on in the hospital, but her father wasn’t there for any of it.

Still, he’d stayed with her the whole time, fought with the nurses to spend more time with her, and he jokingly said that he got hurt on purpose, just so he could be with her in the hospital. But he wasn’t there to catch her…

Even now, she had mixed feelings about the event. Her dad had made a lot more efforts from then on, though.

_But would he really catch her if she fell now, like her mom always said? She wasn’t so sure anymore._

Nanako stopped thinking about it as soon as she heard her father at the door, and she got up to greet him as usual, leaving behind her biology homework.

"So, what are we doing to celebrate?" she asked.

He didn’t seem to have prepared anything special for the occasion, which didn’t surprise her in the least since he’d never been much of a planner. She didn’t mind, though. She was used to it by now, and she already had plans of her own anyway. Contrary to him, Nanako was a planner through and through, and she’d been preparing for this day ever since her dad told her that he was close to solving the case of her mother’s death. She’d even gone as far as asking Rise-chan for Coach’s contact info, so she could ask for his help.

_It had taken a lot of courage for her to do that, since she wasn’t even sure if he remembered her. Plus, from what she’d seen, he was a very high standing dance instructor who would probably be way too busy for something as petty as making up a private “victory dance” for two people. Still, Rise and her Big Bro had encouraged her to try anyway, and she was pleased to see that not only did he remember her, but he also loved her idea._

Even after everything she’d been through to create this dance, actually asking her father if he wanted to give it a try was one of the hardest steps. She had to imagine Coach’s disappointment if she told him she didn’t dare ask, in order to finally find it in herself to go through with it.

“Can we dance?” she let out, wondering how obvious her nervousness was.

Once the words were out, she realized how silly it was, since her dad rarely declined doing things with her anymore. The only times when he did was when he already had something else planned, or when he got an urgent call from work and absolutely had to leave, and neither of these were likely to happen. Still, she couldn’t help but feel worried when he didn’t reply right away.

“Sure, that’s a great idea,” he eventually said, putting her doubts to rest as she started explaining what she had in mind with a renewed excitement.

When everything was ready, she started worrying again that she wouldn’t remember the moves she was supposed to teach him, since she’d had to learn both parts, but everything turned out surprisingly well. Her dad memorized them fairly quickly, and to her relief, he didn’t feel the need to change any of the steps, like he did back when she tried to teach him choreographies from idols.

_She used to scold him whenever he did that, because she felt like he was mocking the dances she chose, but she still really admired how naturally he could adapt the steps to his own style. She could never do that herself, and even though he always told her that she’d learn to do it over time, and that he didn’t start improvising like this right away, she still wondered if she’d ever be able to reach the same level of freedom._

"How long have you been working on it?" her dad asked once he’d mastered everything and they were ready to dance the final version.

He looked very impressed by what she’d done, and she was glad to see that he obviously liked it. He seemed a lot less pleased when she mentioned Coach, but he didn’t dwell on it, and they soon started the real dance.

Even now, her father’s moves were flowing naturally, powerful and confident, and a small part of her rose as she saw that, telling her that she couldn’t lose to him; that she had to match him if she didn’t want to be overshadowed.

They soon reached the most important part; the one Nanako absolutely wanted to include in the dance. Her dad hadn’t seemed to notice anything special in that tiny move, where she had to fall and he was supposed to catch her, and she wondered if it was because he didn’t care, or because it seemed natural to him.

For some reason, she found herself hesitating at the last second, and as she let herself fall backward, she wondered if he’d really catch her like he was supposed to, or if he’d let her hit the ground to answer his phone instead; unless he was going to fall as well, just like that time where he’d ended up in the hospital with her and had to leave the catching to someone else.

The fall lasted less than a second, but it felt like an eternity, and she was almost surprised when her father caught her seamlessly and helped her bounce back upward, still following the rhythm of the music and the steps she’d taught him.

She sent a bright smile to the camera she’d installed earlier, and she found herself grinning uncontrollably for the rest of the dance. It didn’t leave her even after they reached the end of the song. Her dad was beaming as well, and as she was basking in the simple joy of sharing this moment with him, she found herself wondering how things would change, now that he wouldn’t be plagued by the ghost of her mom’s case. Somehow, she felt that it would change for the better. She’d make sure of it. And since the moment was too perfect, she couldn’t help but finish it with:

“I love you, Dad.”

_It was another leap of faith, in a way. There was a time when he barely replied to these._

He seemed surprised to hear it at first, but he still smiled when he replied:

“I love you too, Nanako.”

_Maybe he could catch her more often than she thought, after all…_

She wasn’t sure how to express her happiness, so instead of looking for a proper thing to say on the matter, she asked:

“Can we dance for a bit longer?”

He nodded.

_This part would have to be edited out of the video she had promised to send to Coach… But she’d worry about it later. For now, she had a great evening planned, and what looked like a promising future ahead of her._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another quick note before you go: I have another OS planned for this series. It's called Teddie's Tango, and as you can imagine, it's about Teddie and Dojima taking a tango class.
> 
> I don't know when I'll post it yet, since I still have to edit it, but you can expect it in the next few weeks. I'm very excited to share it with you, since the amazing RibbonOnline designed a dress for him! (I'm still not over how awesome it is, I don't deserve such goodness in my life)
> 
> See you!


	4. Teddie’s Tango

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's two weeks laaaaate? That's right, it's me!
> 
> Anyway, here's the long awaited new chapter of DCN! This time, Teddie and Dojima dance tango.
> 
> I'd like to thank [RibbonOnline](https://ateddieadaykeepsthedoctoraway.tumblr.com/) for drawing Teddie's dress! I suck at describing clothes, especially if I don't have a reference, and she designed a gorgeous one for the occasion! It's so pretty, you should really check it out (and everything she does, her drawings always make me happy!)  
> You can find it here: <https://ateddieadaykeepsthedoctoraway.tumblr.com/post/174669435418/and-there-it-is-the-final-product-i-designed>

The alluring sound of music. Two bodies, moving as one. The sensual rhythm. The ruffle of a dress, and the warmth of a partner’s hands radiating through the fabric. The heat of a summer night. The exhilarating feeling of understanding the other completely. And amidst this perfect moment of passion, love blooms like a firework!

Well, it wasn’t really like this at the moment, but that was the last thing on Teddie’s mind. He was having a lot of fun with Dojima, and all eyes were on them. The teacher was praising them, his starry dress looked amazing, his midnight blue nail polish was on point, and his partner was looking in the distance pensively, leading him across the room with nonchalant grace. It was great!

_Nana-chan and he had a beary hard time convincing him to sign up for this dancing class, but all their efforts had been worth it!_

.

It had all started after Dojima solved this beary important case Nana-chan had told him about once. Teddie didn’t know the details, but it had kept him busy for years, and now that he didn’t have it anymore, he didn’t know what to do.

“You know, I’ve always wanted him to spend more time with me, but this is too much! Whenever he’s at home now, he’s running around in circles like a caged lion!” Nana-chan complained once. The only live lions Teddie had ever seen were Shadows and he had no idea what a caged one looked like, but he still nodded. “I’ve tried to teach him how to cook and take care of the house, and I’m glad for the help, I really am. But once the food is ready and dishes are washed and the place is clean, he’s always on my back! Asking me what I’m watching, what I’m doing, how school is going, and who’s this Renta kid who came to see me… Renta has been my friend since kindergarten! Why does he care about all this now?!”

She sighed and bit her thumb thoughtfully.

“I’m sorry, Ted. You came here to spend time with me and all I’m doing is complaining…”

“It’s okay, Nana-chan!” he dismissed with a smile. “If it’s bothering you, I want to help!”

To be honest, Teddie understood how Dojima was feeling, and he felt sorry for him. After Adachi-baby had been arrested and Izanami stopped, he too felt like there was nothing left for him. He was restless and worried that his friends would leave him behind, he had too much free time on his hands despite his job at Junes, and he didn’t know what to do with this new life he’d been given.

He’d tried helping Yuki-chan at her inn and ended up being a burden instead, everyone who wasn’t in Tokyo was always busy studying, and he felt like everything was changing and his friends were moving on without him. Having no purpose was a terrible feeling, and he didn’t want Dojima to feel the same.

He tried to explain that to Nana-chan, and she listened intently, nodding from time to time with that intense look she shared with her father.

“But you’re not like this anymore,” she declared once he was done. “What did you do?”

Teddie thought for a moment. He knew that change didn’t come all of a sudden; that he didn’t transform overnight, and that the feeling of restlessness didn’t disappear right away. There was something that helped though, and it was…

“Kanji asked me to help at the shop,” he remembered. “He said that his mom couldn’t manage it on her own, and that she needed a hand, now that he was going to school every day. And then Daidara had a back problem and couldn’t carry heavy stuff for a while, and Naoki wanted someone with a fine nose to help him with his perfumes.”

“So you found something else to do with your free time,” Nana-chan summarized.

“Yes! So maybe we can get Dojima-san to help out Daidara or the Tatsumis after work!” he exclaimed.

“Oh no, I don’t think he has that much free time, and he helps enough people at work already. But you’re right on one thing: he needs a hobby.”

They then spent the rest of the afternoon brainstorming, but it wasn’t until Teddie found a flyer for a tango class that they found a solution.

Dojima was strongly against their idea, at first. Nana-chan argued that he liked dancing and that there might be other classes, but it turned out that it really was the only one available in Inaba.

“It will be all couples, I can’t go on my own,” Dojima insisted.

“I can come with you!” Teddie offered with a bright smile.

“But I need someone to do the woman’s part.”

“I can do it! I will be fun!” he dismissed, thinking already about all the pretty dresses he would be able to wear.

It was settled after some more arguing that Dojima would at least give it a try. Teddie immediately asked Kanji to make him the cutest dress possible for the occasion, and he even invited Yuki-chan and Chie-chan to help them choose accessories to go with it. Dojima was beary impressed when he came to pick him up at the textile shop, where Kanji and Yuki-chan were helping him with the last details.

“Were the makeup and flower necessary?” he asked as Teddie buckled his seat belt.

“Of course! It’s an important occasion!” he nodded with a smile.

He was pleased to see that he was the prettiest one in the room when they arrived. Just like Dojima had said, there seemed to be only couples beside them, and Teddie was glad that his dress would come to good use.

“Teddie, is that you?” one of his colleagues from Junes asked.

“Oh, hello Kana-chan!” he greeted her. “I didn’t expect to see you here!”

“And I certainly didn’t expect you, especially dressed like this,” she said, raising and eyebrow as she looked him up and down.

“It seemed like fun and Dojima-san needed a partner, so here I am!” he explained.

“The dress was his idea,” Dojima quickly added.

“It was! I asked Kanji to make it! And I designed it myself!” Teddie declared with a proud smile. “I specifically asked for _bear_ shoulders too!” he added, raising one shoulder in a seductive movement as he heard Dojima slapping himself behind him, probably because of a mosquito or something.

Actually, Teddie was beary happy with how it turned out. He’d looked for a few models online, and selected the best for Kanji to see. His favorite was a magnificent, flowing dress with a long skirt, but his friend had refused to make it. Teddie was disappointed until Kanji showed him a cute one with an asymmetric cut that stopped below the knee and left plenty of room for moving. _“I don’t know much about tango, but it’ll be easier for you to move in this one,”_ he’d said. Teddie had agreed on it, and they’d selected a beautiful, sparkling dark blue fabric to make it. It looked like a night sky and flowed around his hips elegantly, with a trail of white going across his waist like the Milky Way. The top part fit him without being uncomfortable, and after some arguing, he even got the lacy open back he wanted. He also had long blue gloves to go with it, but to his disappointment, he had to take them off because it was too hot. It was a good thing that he’d listened to Yuki-chan and put on nail polish after all!

“How nice of you. The detective and the crossdresser. What a great pair!” Kana-chan replied.

“It would have been better if Dojima-san had put on nice clothes too, but we look stunning, right?” Teddie asked, swirling around to show her how gracefully his dress floated around him, finishing the movement with a cute pose.

She’d become a shade whiter when he looked back at her, and she replied weakly:

“It looks amazing.”

She then turned away from him and talked to her boyfriend until the class officially started.

Minami-sensei seemed beary nice, and Teddie recognized her as one of Sensei’s friends. He had no idea that she used to teach dance before she moved here, and he wondered if Sensei knew. She asked everyone to introduce themselves, tell her about their level, and explain what they were expecting from this class.

“I’m Teddie! I came here because Dojima-san needed a partner, and I love trying new things! I’ve never taken dancing classes, but I danced with my friends at a festival a few years ago. I hope to have a beary fun time with everyone!” he explained when his turn came.

His partner’s introduction was a lot less enthusiastic.

“I’m Ryotaro Dojima, and I’m here because my daughter decided I needed a hobby, I guess… I don’t know anything about tango. I’m not really expecting much,” he said with an embarrassed chuckle, scratching the back of his neck as a few people around the room laughed.

Once everyone had introduced themselves, Minami-sensei started explaining what she was going to do. Teddie immediately volunteered when she asked for a partner to show them the basic steps in action, and he heard Dojima groan next to him.

“Maybe someone who already has a little experience would be better?” the teacher asked, looking at the two couples who’d said they were already familiar with tango.

They all looked at each other for a few seconds until one of the women stepped in. Teddie did his best to take in what he saw, but he couldn’t help but glance at Dojima at some point. His partner was staring at the dancers so intensely that Teddie felt compelled to focus on them again.

“It’s okay if you don’t get it right away,” Minami-sensei said once she was done explaining everything and correcting a few mistakes in her partner’s steps. “Just keep going and I’ll come check on you, okay? You can call me anytime if you need help.”

Everyone got in position, and she gave a few last recommendations about stance and the correct distance between partners. Dojima was keeping him almost at an arm’s length, and Teddie remarked that it wasn’t what Minami-sensei said as he tried to step closer.

“I know we’re not used to it in Japan, but you shouldn’t hesitate to step in your partner’s personal space,” the teacher explained.

“See? Tango is about letting passion spark between people, so stop being so shy, Dojima-san,” Teddie said as he stepped closer to his partner, who didn’t resist this time but still kept his hands away from his body until Minami-sensei intervened.

“You need to hold your partner firmly to let him know where you want to lead him,” she explained.

Dojima pursed his lips but still complied, finally adopting a proper position.

.

Once everyone was ready, the teacher started counting the steps slowly to make sure everyone got them. Ryou followed the rhythm while wondering how he was going to tell Nanako that there was no way he’d keep attending those tango classes. He could try something else. Sure, she was probably right about him needing a hobby, but this was the most embarrassed he’d been in years, and he refused to make it a habit.

At first, he thought that he could _bear_ dancing with Teddie, although he felt that it would be bad for his image. However, he should have known that things weren’t going to be so easy when his daughter’s friend showed up with makeup, a big red flower in his hair, and a pretty dress.

To be fair, Ryou was impressed that Kanji managed to sew something so complicated in barely a few days. Teddie could easily pass for a woman when he was dressed like this, but this was Inaba and everyone knew him in some way or another. The guy was loud, overly friendly, and of course, there wasn’t anyone else with blonde hair and bright blue eyes in town, so he would fool no one.

_To think that the guy even put on heels for the occasion…_

Of course, they’d stood out immediately when they showed up to the class. Teddie didn’t seem to care, but Ryou could feel the judging glares from the other couples. It was awful and he hated it, but he still glared back at anyone who dared make a comment about them, because he wasn’t going to tolerate any drama in his own, personal hell.

“Dojima-san, you’re performing the steps remarkably well,” the teacher told him when she walked past them. “But you should relax a bit, you’re way too stiff.”

What else was she expecting? He could feel the other dancers glancing at them in turn, Teddie’s backless dress forced him to touch his _bear_ skin, and his personal space was horribly invaded by a shameless moron he _bear-ly_ knew and certainly didn’t trust. Plus, the guy kept making cheesy comments that stressed him out even more.

_He’d never have thought that he could be more tense, and yet here he was… And what was it with all the bear puns, all of a sudden?!_

Anyway, at least Teddie was following his lead seamlessly, and the steps were pretty easy for now.

_This was nothing compared to what Nanako could come up with, to be honest._

He could see other beginners struggling a bit already, but at least they seemed to be at ease with each other, contrary to him. Teddie didn’t mind the situation in the least, forcing Ryou to be ashamed for the both of them. He glanced at the clock, wondering when he would finally be free from this torture, but he couldn’t remember how long the class was supposed to be. If it was only one hour, he would be free soon, he thought to give himself strength, praying that it really was one hour and not more. Maybe it was supposed to be less? He really hoped so…

“You can stop now,” the teacher finally said with a clap of her hands.

Ryou stepped away from Teddie as soon as he heard that, and started breathing again.

“Now, since we still have a few minutes left, I thought you would enjoy dancing to actual music. It’s fine if you can’t follow the steps perfectly, just relax and have fun!”

Ryou let out a groan and looked again at Teddie, who was grinning at him with open arms.

“Shall we?” the guy asked ceremoniously.

His reluctant partner sighed and got back in position.

.

As Dojima and he started dancing to the music, Teddie noticed how much more relaxed his partner seemed. The first few steps felt a bit stiff, like earlier, and he didn’t dare to make a comment, since his previous attempts to help him relax seemed to make it worse. Apparently, his silence paid off, because it bearly took a minute for Dojima to finally enjoy the moment. They started moving in perfect sync, just like he’d seen in movies, and he wished his partner would try more complicated steps.

As he looked up at him, Teddie noticed that he was observing the other dancers with the same intent look he had earlier.

“Is something wrong, Dojima-san?” he asked, a bit disappointed that the man’s eyes weren’t on him.

He only got a hum as a reply, and a moment later, his partner asked:

“Do you want to try something different?”

Teddie nodded excitedly. He hadn’t looked at what the others were doing, but he’d watched tons of movies and videos to be ready for this day, and he was dying to try some of the more advanced steps he’d seen! Of course, Dojima was a bit stiffer than before, and Teddie had more trouble following him, since he wasn’t sure where his partner wanted to go, but it was a lot more fun this way!

A few dancers stopped to stare at them, and they started making a little more space in the room as they navigated among them.

“This is fun!” Teddie couldn’t help but exclaim, hoping that his partner would agree.

Dojima seemed too focused on what he was doing to reply, but Teddie still noticed the tiny smile on his face and took it as an agreement.

_Now, this was tango! He couldn’t wait to learn more steps and shine even brighter on the dance floor, like the stars on his dress!_

“Weren’t they supposed to be beginners?” Kana-chan whispered to her boyfriend.

_“This is the power of dance! Our bodies, our feelings are becoming one, and the spark of ~~love~~ friendship is shining through,” _ Teddie replied mentally.

Then, the music stopped, and Minami-sensei congratulated everyone for their first lesson.

“Come again next week,” she said as people started leaving.

“That was great, Dojima-san! We can’t stop now, right?”

His partner looked thoughtful for a moment, but he still smiled when he said:

“Yeah, I guess we should keep going. Thanks, Teddie.”

“Of course! And for next week, I’ll ask Kanji to make an even prettier dress!”

Dojima’s reaction really lacked enthusiasm, but Teddie had gotten used to it by now.

_Anyway, this first class was a success, and he couldn’t wait to tell Nana-chan about it!_


End file.
